freii

Three questions to the project team

What was the particular challenge of the project from a UX point of view?
The freii programme and its core component, the freii app, address problematic digital media use among children and adolescents. A key challenge was designing a digital experience that could engage a generation accustomed to highly polished apps and content without increasing screen time. The solution was to make four real young guides the primary interface and limit daily interaction to only a few minutes. Evaluation results confirmed this approach.

What was your personal highlight in the development process? Was there an aha!-moment, was there a low point?
A major highlight was the outcome of the two studies involving more than 4,000 children, adolescents, parents, and caregivers. Rarely have we worked with a client so committed to scientific evaluation and iterative improvement. The toughest moments came during the early co-design sessions with teenagers. They were highly selective and uncompromising in their feedback, quickly rejecting some concepts we were personally attached to. But those reality checks ultimately resulted in a better and more user-centred product.

Where do you see yourself and the project in the next five years?
Based on the positive outcomes of two studies, increasing bookings for professional training, and long-term funding from two established foundations, Villa Schöpflin has scaled freii nationwide. The estimate is that the programme—including the app, workshops and supporting content channels—could reach approximately 10% of German schools and their students and families over the coming years.